Knight Child of NERV
by Trek1030
Summary: As Shinji Ikari turns 16, he comes into the possession of a "special" car...


Knight Child of NERV

By Trek1030

Chapter 1: The Gift

Author's Note:

I wrote this as when I was stuck with sever writer's block sometime last year. It's a silly little crossover that was written solely for fun and practice. Though as I look through my old fics today 7 August 2003 and begin rewriting/continuing many of them, I decided to let this little fic out again (I don't think I ever put it on FFNET). I figured someone out there may find it fun

Oh, and yes, I do realize that the driving age in Japan is 18. I wrote this fic before I knew that though \

And another thing. I changed my name on FFNET. I figured that I might as well use the same name everywhere, so I'm in the process of changing all my names at various places to the one I use the most often, Trek1030.

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Rough Draft Version 0.5 finished 5 October 2002

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In the year 1989, the Foundation for Law and Government retired it's two premiere agents. Michael Knight disappeared off the face of the earth; his whereabouts and activities were never again known by F.L.A.G. or any other agency. As for Michael Knight's partner, KITT was put into storage until the day when the world would need him again.

In the year 2008, NERV acquired a stockpile of equipment from a classified source. Among the massive shipment of weapons and office equipment, there was a large crate with a small label on the side. Had anyone paid attention, some one would have noticed the words "Knight Industries Two Thousand" had been almost completely scraped off the side.

In the year 2016, KITT was assigned a new partner…

Shinji was still dumbfounded; the day had passed, and life had yet again changed forever. Never before would he have expected what had happened this brisk morning in Tokyo-3, and his mind was still having trouble comprehending just what had gone on.

In a single morning, Shinji's entire view of his father was distorted into a confusing mess; because of his father, he had gained an odd friend. This morning, Shinji had taken a ride unlike anything else; almost rivaling piloting an Evangelion, inspiring more fear than Misato's driving.

The day before had been Shinji's 16th birthday; of course Misato just had to have a party for him. The night had gone as well as Shinji could have imagined, with all the usual suspects arriving to celebrate; Touji and Kensuke were there, as well as Hikari, Asuka, and Rei, with even Ritsuko and Kaji staying for a while. But that party is unimportant; what matters is that just before Ritsuko left, she handed Shinji a letter in a plain white envelope, whispering so that only he could hear, "This is from your father."

Later that night, in the solitude of his room, Shinji discovered the letter had only a simple message:

"Meet me outside the front entrance of your apartment complex at 0700 hrs tomorrow. Do Not Be Late."

As dictated by the letter from his father, Shinji stood at the front of the building, taking in the cool morning air. The sun was just beginning to rise, creating a beautiful orange and red spectacle; but the young boy never saw it. His mind was preoccupied, trying to guess just why he was standing here in the cold. Never had his father showed any form of caring, but there was always a first time for everything. Then again, the letter from yesterday did seem pretty threatening.

"I wonder what father wants…" Shinji said to himself, finally giving up on his mind to guess why his father had summoned him there. Part of him hoped that his father had wanted to make amends; yet another, more rational, part of him was desperately searching for the underlying motive for anything foreseeable event.

Looking into the distance, Shinji's thoughts were interrupted as a low rumbling caught his attention. As the noise grew more audible, a huge, dark specter appeared, tearing down the street, coming straight for him. Eventually the phantasm came into view, and Shinji saw what it was; coming to a stop in front of him, an 18 wheel truck seemed to absorb all the sunlight pouring down on it. It was painted the darkest, abysmal black with no traces of any chrome or silver standing out. The windows were tinted almost as dark as the paint job, hiding any being behind them.

For a few seconds, Shinji simply stared at the black truck until the passenger side door opened. With grace and dignity, Gendo Ikari flawlessly jumped from the passenger seat down to the ground. The Commander's expression was dark, solid, and intimidating; not much different from any other time Shinji had seen him. Acknowledging his father's presence with a simple nod, Shinji proceeded to ask the question that had been burning in his mind for the past twelve hours.

"Why are you here, father?"

The older man turned away, not answering, leaving Shinji confused. Turning to the back of the truck's trailer, the Commander aimed a small device toward the rear door and pushed that device's button. Immediately, the rear door lowered into a ramp, the whirring of gears filling the air.

"What are you—" Shinji began, but was silenced as his father held up a hand in his direction without looking at him. Silenced, Shinji watched the trailer's rear to see what his father was doing.

Slowly, a sleek, black car backed down the ramp; it was painted a black as dark as night, with tinted windows to match. Even though it's engine was near idle, the car's roar suggested something much more powerful than a V8. Sleek as the car was, the box-like outlines suggested age, perhaps something from the 80's. As hard as Shinji looked, there was no identifying badge or sticker on the side of the car he could see; but Shinji had the faintest idea that this was from America, since he had never before seen a car that remotely looked like this.

Pushing another button, Gendo retracted the ramp; out of the car stepped Sub-commander Fuyutsuki, who promptly walked to the truck's cab and entered, taking his seat, waiting for the Commander to return so that they may leave. Turning to his son, Commander Ikari finally spoke.

"This car is now yours. Take care of it."

Eyes wide and mouth ajar, Shinji just stared as his father pressed a set of keys into his palm. Still in shock, Shinji remained silent as he watched his father reenter the truck that then rode off into the distance. Had he had his mind with him, Shinji probably would have said something along the lines of "Thanks" and "Why". Instead, when his sense of self-control returned, he walked up to the car and looked it over.

"Whoa…" was all that Shinji could utter as he circled around the car. Though aged, the car before him looked capable of much speed. And like any other teenage boy, this mesmerized Shinji; not just because the car looked like it could haul ass, but also because this was his car. His. His very own. His first car; and unlike many other teenage drivers, his first car didn't suck! Excitement overwhelming him, Shinji entered the car, taking his rightful place in the driver's seat.

Had something not caught Shinji's attention, he would have seen a steering wheel that looked like it belonged to a fighter jet, along with a massive amount of buttons and controls surrounding a computer monitor where the radio was supposed to be. Perhaps he would have even noticed the "Start" button that replaced the ignition. But alas, something had taken his mind away from the technological prowess within this car.

That something was a voice with a British accent.

A voice that came from the car.

A voice that said, "Welcome, Shinji. I am the Knight Industries Two Thousand. You can call me KITT."

"Um… KITT?" Shinji answered, eyes darting around, expecting someone to be hiding in the back seat.

"Yes, Shinji?"

"Did the car just talk to me?" Shinji thought aloud, not expecting an answer. When KITT talked backed, he was sure surprised.

"Yes, I am talking to you. And I would prefer for you to not refer to me in the third person when I am right here."

"But you're a car!" Shinji screamed the obvious. Paralyzed in both fear and amazement, Shinji merely remained sitting, his hands digging into the leather seats. "This shouldn't be possible!"

"And you're a teenager, fighting in a giant robot, deciding the fate of the world on a regular basis," KITT responded, not sarcastically, but rather in the tone of factuality. "That doesn't seem possible, but it is indeed the truth."

"How do you know who I am?" Shinji queried, calming down slightly. Still uncomfortable with the idea of a talking car, Shinji conversed uneasily with KITT, while looking with amazement at the mass amount of electronics.

"I am a computer, Shinji. When I was assigned to you, I accessed your record on the MAGI from NERV's computer network."

"What do you mean assigned?" Shinji blurted, confused.

"Shinji, I have been given the job of your protection, as well as to assist you in any capacity I am capable."

"So that's all…" faded Shinji, his voice falling. For a brief moment, the boy had believed the car a gift; a sign of something, anything, between him and his father. But now, Shinji could only see another way for NERV to control every aspect of his life.

"You sound… disappointed," said KITT. His many years with Michael Knight had let KITT grow beyond anything his programmers had imagined. Humor, compassion, and emotion; these were three concepts known to the car, occasionally recognized and expressed by the unique automobile. Yet the reasons and ways of human thinking still eluded him.

"Are you disappointed in me?" KITT guessed, "I assure you, I am capable of much more than conversation."

"No, that's not it," Shinji said, reclining a bit in the seat. "I just… I thought that my father cared about me not just as a pilot, but also as a son…. I mean, here I get a cool car; and it turns out to be because the Section 2 agents following me aren't enough for my safety."

"You should rethink that. You are free to drive me however and wherever you please; I just have to make sure you don't die," KITT answered back, earning a slight chuckle from Shinji, "Why would Commander Ikari give a five million dollar car to a sixteen year old, just to ensure the kid's safety? Your father wanted to give you a amazing car; it is highly illogical for him to spend so much on a single pilot's safety."

"Well you don't know my father, the Eva project is all that matters to him."

"You say I don't know him, but do you?"

Seconds of silence passed like hours until Shinji felt the urge to speak once more.

"Let's just drop this subject, okay?" said the boy, not willing to pursue his issues with a car's AI. "I can't believe I just had conversation with a car…"

"I said it before, I am much more than a car."

"Then what are you?"

"I am the Knight Industries Two Thousand," KITT responded proudly, "A technologically advanced law-enforcement vehicle. Originally designed in 1982, I have spent seven years solving crimes. I am the only Knight Industries Two Thousand ever built. No car since has matched my abilities."

"You talk like you have super powers," Shinji retorted, not understanding the car.

"Compared to other cars, I do. Let's go for a test drive; put on your seat belt, Shinji."

"But I don't have my license yet!" Shinji answered. "Misato was going to bring me to take the driving test tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I'll drive. Just put your seatbelt on."

Confused, Shinji buckled his seatbelt. Had he not, the boy would have jumped as KITT's engine started, giving a one of a kind engine roar. The Eva pilot could only look on in awe as LEDs began to light up as KITT took control of himself; the green lights on the accelerator lit as the pedal looked to be depressed by some invisible foot, the lights on the shifter glowed as the automatic transmission shifted into drive, and the odd steering wheel began to move without the aid of the boy sitting in the driver's seat.

As KITT pulled off of the curb and headed down the street, Shinji's awe turn to giddy amazement as a smile beamed across his face.

"You are amazing, KITT!"

"Why, thank you," responded the car, "But you have not seen anything yet."

"Then show me what you've got," Shinji urged in anticipation. The ride had been perfect; fifteen minutes and Shinji never had to touch the controls. Fear had left Shinji, and for the time being, he felt perfectly at peace in his black car. Now, going down an empty street that led to a Geo Front Access Station, KITT decided to show off his features.

"I have too many features for you to try today, Shinji," said KITT, almost amused at the boy's change of heart, "Let's just go over the basics. Press the button labeled 'Turbo Boost'."

Doing as KITT said, Shinji instantly slammed into the back of his seat, G-forces pushing him further into the soft, leather seats. Shinji could see the scenery speed by; feel his stomach churn as the car flew through the air. Soon, the sensations stopped, and the car jerked up and down as the car landed back on the ground. For a few breaths, Shinji wheezed in and out, getting over the shock of the sudden movement. Flashing in his mind, the Third Child realized how much it felt like the Evangelion launches; that rush was one that Shinji learned to get used to, and this was one he surely would as well.

"Wow!" Shinji exclaimed, "Even Misato can't go that fast in her car… oh crap…. I just remembered…"

"What is wrong, Shinji?"

"Misato… Asuka… I didn't make breakfast yet! Hell, they don't even know that I'm gone! I was just so excited over you, KITT…. Great, now they're going to kill me!" Shinji whined as he slumped into his seat.

"It is 7: 30 A.M. We have only been gone for fifteen minutes and forty-five seconds." KITT replied.

"They're going to wake up soon! We have to hurry back, as fast as you can!"

"That gives me an ideal," KITT responded. If a car could smirk, KITT probably would have. "Press the button labeled 'Super Pursuit'. We will be back in approximately two minutes."

"Two Minutes?" Shinji said, unbelieving. Shrugging, Shinji gave in, realizing that this car had defied all his expectations.

Mechanical movement could be heard, as KITT's outer appearance changed, turning aerodynamic and exposing hidden air intakes. The front and back seemed to split and change configuration. Small wings emerged from the sides, as well as intakes as the KITT's distinctive hydrogen-fusion engine increased its output. As suddenly as the changes appeared, KITT rocketed forward, speed unmatched by any car that had ever existed or will come into existence.

While KITT's speedometer approached 325 miles per hour and showed no signs of slowing down, Shinji could only do one thing. He screamed at the top of his lungs, both in joy and surprise as he streaked through the city, in a dark shadow of a car.

To Be Continued… maybe…

Omake

This omake is a bit simple. It is meant for those poor souls unfortunate enough to have never seen Knight Rider or not remember what KITT looks like. The simplest thing to do would be to go to and look at pictures of the cars. But for those too lazy to copy and paste the URL, here's a description:

KITT is based upon a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. In order to achieve it's KITT-esque look, it is lightly customized externally and also has a custom dashboard and interior. The car is black with stock tires, wheels, and wheel covers. The wheel covers are black, nick-named "bowling-ball" wheels by Firebird owners, as they resembled bowling balls and also had a habit of falling off and rolling down the street. It has a stock cowl-induction hood, nick-named by Pontiac owners as the "power-bulge." KITT comes with removable glass t-tops. The front bumper of KITT is a custom job by Universal Studios; it is more pointed than a stock bumper and has six fog-lights that also double as turn signals. The flip-up headlights remain. In the rear of KITT, the entire thing in the back where the lights and stuff are is tinted out, meaning that it looks perfectly black until the lights come on (this is available for many cars, and doesn't cost that much).

The most noticeable of the external customizations is the blinking red light in the front of the car. This is also the signature detail that makes KITT… well, KITT. The red light is mounted above the bumper, where it meets the hood. It is known as a "scanner." The lights blink in succession, meaning that it looks like it is a red light that travels back and forth, left to right.

Inside KITT it the stock Pontiac interior, tan colored. The dashboard is completed replaced by a custom one. Depending on what season of Knight Rider, the dashboard electronics vary. But there is always at least one TV which is used as a monitor for communications and for read outs and status of stuff. LED lights and electronic gauges replace all the gauges for RPM, gas, engine temp, and speed. Behind the steering wheel is a pod with various buttons, which control KITT's various functions. The steering wheel is replaced with one that has two handles, looking like something from an arcade game (actually, it looks almost exactly like the one from the old-ass game Roadblaster). Above, on the ceiling where the sun visors would be, are a bunch of buttons. These never actually do anything in the show, as they seemed to be pressed for no good reason, probably just to make the car seem high-tech.

In the show, KITT is powered by an experimental hydrogen-reactor and can reach unknown high speeds. However, in reality, KITT is has a 350cid (5.7L) V8 engine from a Corvette. This was not the engine that the car originally came with, as the people who built the car for the show felt that it would need more power for the stunts it needed to do.


End file.
